Surname Saturday - Walling

Various spellings of the Walling surname include Wallen, Walden and Wallin. The English surname is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name "Weal" which means foreigner.

My first documented Walling ancestor is Thomas Walling who was born circa 1627.  He first married Mary Abbott in 1651 and later married Margaret White Colwell circa 1669.  Thomas Walling died on July 19, 1674 in Providence, Rhode Island.  My lineage is through his first marriage to Mary Abbott.

The marriage of Thomas and Mary's son, Thomas2, is also listed

While I have no documentation of Thomas' parentage, it is believed by many family historians that his parents were Ralph and Joyce Wallen who arrived at Plymouth Colony in 1623 on the ship "Anne" which sailed from England.

In 'Elisha Wallen:  The Longhunter', author Carolyn D. Wallen notes the following with regards to Thomas Walling's will:

Thomas Walling died in November of 1676 in Providence.  His will was written in 7-19-1674 and proven in court on 11-22-1674.  In the will he mentioned his wife Margaret, sons Thomas (II), John, William, James, Cornelius, Gershom and daughter Abigail.  

"To sons Thomas, John and William, farm which I now dwell upon, equally, as each arrives at age, the dwelling house to be for son William, and his share of land to be adjoining house with orchard included.  The farm not to be sold except among brethren, that is to say Thomas, John, James, William and Cornelius.  To son James, land at age.  To son Cornelius, land on west side of Seven Mile Line, and if James and Cornelius died without issue, their part to brothers.  If there be more divisions than one of land west of Seven Mile Line, then my right in second division to son Gershom, and to him 10 shilling.  To daughter Abigail Walling, 5 shilling.  To wife Margaret, all movable goods and cattle and benefit of all the land to bring up children.  To her also the disposing of the dwelling house, till William comes of age at which time he to take half the land and housing, and other half to be for wife Margaret till her marriage or death, and then to William."

Thomas Walling2 was born on February 8, 1669 in Providence, Rhode Island. He married Sarah Elwell in 1695.  Thomas died in Cohansey, New Jersey on October 22, 1724 and Sarah died circa 1724.

Elisha Walling, Sr.,son of Thomas2 and Sarah, was born circa 1708 in Cohansey, New Jersey.  He married Mary Blevins circa 1730.  Elisha, Sr. and Mary's children were Joseph, Thomas, Elisha, Jr., James and John.  *Note:  It is Elisha Walling, Jr. who was the Longhunter in the above mentioned book.

My Walling lineage continues through Elisha Walling's son James who married Mary White Pugh.  Their children were Elizabeth*, James, Jr., Joseph, John, Sr., Thomas and Manning.

John Walling, Sr. was born circa 1775 in Virginia.  He married Anna Chisum circa 1793.  Anna was born circa 1777 to the marriage of John Chisum3 and Margaret Chisum.  John and Anna's children were Jesse, James, John, Thomas Jefferson, Sentha/Cynthia Ann and Alfred Gaines.

Mary Polly 

James Walling, son of John and Anna, was born in Virginia then later moved to Mississippi where he met and married Martha Hamlin in 1820.  By 1840, they had moved to Texas with their children; Mary Polly, Lucinda, Vance, Ann, Elizabeth, Martha, James, Jr., and Sarah.

Mary Polly Walling married Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. on May 21, 1840 in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. was the son of Elijah Kaufman Chisum (1773-1860) and Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841)* who was the daughter of James and Mary Pugh Walling mentioned above.

Lucinda

Mary Polly and Isham Russell Chisum's children were James Madison "Jim", Martha, Mary Emily, Lucinda, Frances "Fannie", Amanda Laura, Isham Russell, Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Rhoda, John and William.

Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum are my paternal 3great grandparents through their daughter, Lucinda Chisum Steele.

Through the marriage of Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum, I have double kinship in the Walling lineage.

Mary Polly Walling's grandfather, John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) was a brother to Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841) who was also Isham Russell Chisum's mother.

John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) is my 5great grandfather through Mary Polly Walling.  He is also my 4great grand uncle through Isham Russell Chisum.

My Walling lineage through my 3great grandmother Mary Polly:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2, 1669-1724 (m. Sarah Elwell, 1676-1724)
++Elisha Walling, 1708-1785 (m. Mary Blevins, 1710-1783)
+++James Walling, 1746-1786 (m. Mary White Pugh, ca.1748-?)
++++John Walling, Sr., 1775-1841 (Anna Chisum, ca. 1777-1842)
+++++James Walling, Sr., 1795-1867 (Martha Hamlin, ca. 1796-1852)
++++++Mary Polly Walling, 1820-1891 (m. Isham Russell Chisum, 1812-1861)
+++++++Lucinda Chisum, 1846-1897 (m. Francis Marion Steele, 1847-1883)
++++++++Isham A. Steele, 1870-1934 (m. Mary V. Blackman, 1876-1945)
+++++++++Mary Allye Steele, 1900-1969 (m. Bruce Edmonds, 1904-1974)
++++++++++Bruce A. Edmonds, 1927-2002 (m. Mildred Bynum, 1926-2012)


My Walling lineage through my 3great grandfather Isham R. Chisum:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2 (m. Sarah Elwell)
++Elisha Walling (m. Mary Blevins)
+++James Walling (m. Mary White Pugh)
++++Elizabeth Walling (m. Elijah Kaufman Chisum)
+++++Isham Russell Chisum (m. Mary Polly Walling)
++++++Lucinda Chisum (m. Francis Marion "Frank" Steele)
+++++++Isham Alfonso Steele (m. Mary Virginia Blackman)
++++++++Mary Allye Steele (m. Bruce Edmonds)
+++++++++Bruce Alfonso Edmonds (m. Mildred Bynum)


As if the Walling double kinship wasn't confusing enough, I also have double kinship with John Walling, Sr.'s wife, Anna Chisum.  Anna was the sister of Elijah Kaufman Chisum.  (Walling siblings married Chisum siblings)

Also of note are Anna's parents, John Chisum3 (1732-1806) and Margaret Chisum (1750-1798).   John and Margaret's great-great grandfathers were brothers.